Evaluation of the Relationship Between Adenomyosis and Cervical Elastography Parameters

Area of Science:

• Gynecologic imaging
• Biomechanical analysis
• Medical diagnostics

Background:

• Adenomyosis is a gynecologic condition characterized by endometrial tissue within the myometrium.
• Cervical biomechanical properties may be altered in women with adenomyosis.
• Non-invasive diagnostic tools are needed to assess adenomyosis-related changes.

Purpose of the Study:

• To investigate cervical biomechanical alterations in adenomyosis using shear-wave elastography (SWE).
• To evaluate the diagnostic potential of cervical SWE parameters for adenomyosis.

Main Methods:

• Prospective study involving 84 patients with adenomyosis and 65 healthy controls.
• Cervical shear-wave elastography (SWE) performed on six cervical areas.
• Analysis of cervical length and stiffness measurements.

Main Results:

• Adenomyosis group exhibited significantly increased cervical length and stiffness at the anterior and posterior internal os compared to controls (p < 0.001).
• Receiver operating characteristic analysis showed high diagnostic discrimination for anterior and posterior internal os stiffness (AUC 0.804 and 0.808).
• Optimal cut-off values for stiffness demonstrated high sensitivity and specificity.

Conclusions:

• Cervical SWE is a valuable non-invasive tool for assessing biomechanical changes associated with adenomyosis.
• SWE parameters can support imaging-based diagnosis of adenomyosis.
• Further research can explore SWE's role in routine gynecologic assessments.